Text of the Denali National Park and Alaska Railroad Exchange Act of 2007

This bill was introduced in a previous session of Congress and was passed by the House on October 22, 2007 but was never passed by the Senate. The text of the bill below is as of Feb 5, 2007 (Introduced).

Mr. Young of Alaska
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural
Resources

A BILL

To authorize the exchange of certain lands in Denali
National Park in the State of Alaska.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the
Denali National Park and Alaska
Railroad Land Exchange Act of 2007.

2.

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Federal
land

The term Federal land means land under the
jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior within the boundary of Denali
National Park, Alaska, that is identified by the Secretary for exchange
pursuant to section 3.

(2)

Non-federal
land

The term non-Federal land means land that is
identified by the Alaska Railroad for exchange pursuant to section 3, and that
is composed of an exclusive-use easement owned by the Alaska Railroad within
Denali National Park, including but not limited to the former Denali Park
Station Wye track.

(3)

Secretary

The
term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.

3.

Land
exchange

(a)

In
general

The Secretary is authorized to exchange land within
Denali National Park with the Alaska Railroad for the purpose of turning
railroad trains around near Denali Park Station.

(b)

Conditions of
the land exchange

(1)

Equal
acreage

A land exchange under this section shall be on an equal
acre basis, whereby approximately the same amounts of acreage will be conveyed
by the Secretary and the Alaska Railroad.

(2)

Total acres
exchanged

The total land exchanged under this subsection shall be
not more than 25 acres of Federal land and no more than 25 acres of non-Federal
land.

(3)

Interest
conveyed

The interest conveyed by the Alaska Railroad to the
United States under this section shall be the full title and interest received
by the Alaska Railroad under the Alaska Railroad Transfer Act of 1982 (45
U.S.C. 1201 et seq.). The interest conveyed to the Alaska Railroad by the
Secretary under this section shall be subject to the same reservations and
limitations under the Alaska Railroad Transfer Act of 1982 as are currently
applicable to the non-Federal land being exchanged.

(4)

Costs

The
Alaska Railroad shall pay the costs of any land exchange under this section,
including the costs of compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the costs of land surveys, and other reasonable
costs to accomplish the exchange.

(5)

Land to be part
of Wilderness

Any non-Federal lands conveyed to the United States
under this section that are adjacent to designated wilderness shall be
designated as and become part of the Denali Wilderness.

(6)

Other terms and
conditions

The Secretary may require any additional terms and
conditions for a land exchange under this section that the Secretary determines
to be appropriate to protect the interests of the United States.